Wire stretcher



Patented J an. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES LANK HUGHES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.

WIRE s'rnn 'ronmt.

Application filed August This invention relates to wire stretchers and more especially to that class of wire stretchers adapted for use in stretching wlre netting in making window screens, door a screens and the like. It is particularly the object of this invention to provide a tool that will grip and stretch the wireover the frame at one and the same operation; This wire stretcher is so simple in its structure and operation thatit can be placed in engagement with the wire over the frame and operated to stretch the wire. by the use of one hand. Not only is the gripping and stretching of the wire accomplished by one operation of the hand but the releasing of the wire is performed by a simple reverse movement of the hand.

These and other advantages will appear from the following description taken in con- 2 nection with the drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side View of the stretcher applied to a screen and showing the position of parts of the stretcher after the wire has been stretched Figure 2 is a top plan view of the stretcher as shown in Figure 1, i I

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of 3 Fi re1,

igure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig-' ure 1,

Figure 6 is a section on line 66 of Figure 1, Y

gripping jaws .Figure S is a sectional view showing a modification of the parts shown in Figure 5;

This device is composed of two principal elements A i and B which are" somewhat shaped like the letter Z and are pivotally" connected to each other as indicated by the numeral 8. The element A consists of a handle 1 and an intermediate part 2 and a wire gripping part3. The element B consists of a handlepart 4, an intermediate part 5to which the handle part 4 is pivoted as is indicatedby the numeral 6, and a wire gripping part 7.

The wire gripping parts 3' and 7 are bent out of line with their respective elements and into an alinement with each other so that when they are opened and closed by the operation of the handles, they will move in the same planeg The wire gripping parts are I composed of fixed'guide members 9 and 10 Figure 7 is an enlarged View of the mesh 7, 1925. Serial No. 48,850.

between which adjustable slide members 11 and 12 move and are held. The guide members 9 and 10 may be gripped against the members 11 and 12 by means of some suitable element, in the present instance screw elements 13. The outer ends of the adjustable members 11 and 12 are bent toward each other and have formed thereon wire gripping jaws provided with some protective; material indicated by the numeral 14, such as, rubber, leather or the like, for protecting the wire from being damaged while it is being seized by the gripper in the operation of stretching. The parts 1 and 2 of the element A are at right angle to each other while the part 3 is at a right angle to the part 2 and extends in a line substantially parallel to part 1. The intermediate part 5 0f the element B forms substantially a right angle with the part7 and has pivoted thereto at: 6 the handle 4 which in normal position extends in, a line substantially parallel with handle 1 and the part 7 The parts are in normal position when the jaws come in con tact with the wire but are not'made to tightly grip the wire and the plunger 15, .here-, after described, is in its withdrawn position 5 due to the action of the spring 17. Extending from the handle 4 and at right angle thereto at the pivot point 6is the segment member 22 having on the outer end thereof teeth 21. Between the intermediate parts 5' and 6 there is a headed plungerlfi-which has on one surface thereof teeth 20 meshing with teeth 21 tomove the plunger back' and forth a on the operation of the handle 4. The plun ger 15 moves in and is guided by a cavity in one sideof the intermediate part5.v This cavity is indicated by the numeral 16 and has an enlargement as indicated in Figure 5 in which is housed a spring 17 which serves to hold the plunger in a withdrawn position. One end of the spring 17 is held and adjusted by means of the screw 18 while the other end is held'in place by a projection on the arm 19 which extends from the plunger 15 and is guided back and forth in the cavity 16- as the plunger moves due to the operation of handles or the action ofthe spring 17 I a v Figure 8 shows a modifiedform of plunger and plunger seat. In thisform the plung or is substantiallycircular in shape having on one end thereof teeth 20. 'The part of the plunger having thereon the teeth 20 is larger than the other partof-the plunger and affords a shoulder 23 against which the spring 17 engages. The plunger in this instance is located within or circular orifice in the intermediate part 5 and is held within the orifice by means of the teeth 21 on the segment member and by the hollow screw member 24: through which the plunger moves back and forth as it is operatedby the movement of the handles 1 and at. The tension of the spring which surrounds the middle part of the plunger may be adjusted by turning the hollow screw member 24. The screw member is provided with a slot in its outer end by which it may be engaged with some tool to rotate it.

In using this wire pressure the handles 1 and 4.- are forced apart whereby the jaws are opened so they may he slipped over the frame through which wire netting is to be attached. After the device has been brought in the proper position and is in engagement with the wire netting the handles 1 and t are brought toward each other thereby firmly gripping the wire and forcing the plunger 15 in engagement with the frame. The plunger acting upon the frame tends to more the whole stretcher away from the frame and carry therewith the wire netting gripped between the jaws. When this operation has sufiiciently stretched the wire the wire is securely fastened to the frame by any suitable means. The operation of this structure can be effected by the use of one hand leaving the other hand entirely free to fasten the wire to the frame. A

Attached to handle 1 is a leaf spring 1', as shown in Figure 1. The outer or free end of this engages a beveled end of the plunger 15. The purpose of this spring 1 is to hold the handles apart and the jaws open so that the device may be readily appliedin use. The spring 17 holds the plunger in a withdrawn position and the jaws release from the wire but does not serve to hold the jaws open so the device can be readily applied in use. It is this purpose that the spring 1' accomplishes.

Having thus described my invention, what- I wish to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In the stretcher, gripping means. stretching means. and means for simultaneously operating the gripping means and the stretching means, said last named means being connected to the gripping means so that whenever the gripping means is operated the stretching means must also be operated.

2. In a stretcher, a. gripping means. a stretching means, lever means for simultaneously operating the gripping means and the stretching means, said lever being connected to the gripping means so that when it operates the gripping means the stretching means must also be operated.

3. In a stretcher, gripping means, stretching means, lever means for simultaneously operating the gripping means and the stretching means, said lever being connected to the gripping means so that when it operates the gripping means thestretching means must also be operated, and means operating upointhe stretching means to release the gripping means.

4-. In a wire stretcher, wire gripping means, plunger means for stretching. the wire, and a lever for sinniltaneously operating the gripping means and the plunger means.

In a wire stretcher, wire gripping means. plunger means for stretching the wire, lever means for simultaneously operating the plunger means and the gripping means. and means attached to the lever means for releasing the wire gripping means.

6. In a wire stretcher, wire gripping jaws, a plunger slidable in one of the jaws, a lever pivoted to said jaw and engaging said plunger to simultaneously operate the gripping jaws and the plunger to grip and stretch the wire.

'7. In a wire stretcher, wire gripping jaws, a plunger slidably connected with one of the jaws. av lever pivoted to said jaw and engaging said plunger to simultaneously operate the gripping jaws and the plunger to grip and stretch the wire, and means tending to automatically release the wire gripping jaws.

S. In a wire stretcher, wire gripping jaws. a plunger slidably connected with one of the jaws. lever means pivoted to one of the aws and engaging the plunger to simultaneously operate the gripping jaws and the plunger to grip and stretch the wire, and spring means associatedwith the gripping jaws to automatically release said jaws.

9. In a wire stretcher, wire gripping jaws, a plunger slidably associated with one of the jaws. a lever pivoted to said jaw and engaging said plunger to operate the gripping aws of the plunger to grip, and stretch the wire and spring meansassociated with the other gripping jaw to engage the plunger and release the jaws.

10. In a wire stretcher, a wire gripping jaw, a second wire gripping jaw, 21 plunger slidably associated with the second named jaw, lever pivoted to the second named.

jaw and engaging said plunger to operate the second gripping jaw and the plunger to grip and stretch the wire, means associated with the plunger for retracting the plunger.

' slidably associated with the second named jaw. rack teeth on one side of said plunger, a. lever pivoted to said second named jaw,

teeth on said lever and engaging the teeth on the plunger and means associated with the plunger and the first named jaw to retract the plunger and release the jaws.

12. In a wire stretcher, a wire gripping means, plunger means for stretching the wire, a lever means for simultaneously operating the gripping means and the plunger means and means associatedwith the plunger for retracting the. plunger means and releasing the wire gripping means.

13. In a wire stretcher, a. wire gripping jaw, a second wire gripping jaw pivotally connected tosaid first jaw, jaw operating and wire stretching means associated with said jaws and means associated with said jaws for releasing them and withdrawing the wire stretching means.

14. In a wire stretcher, a wire gripping jaw, a second wire gripping jaw, a plunger associated with one of said jaws and adapted to stretch the wire, means associated with the jaws and the-plunger for operating the jaws and advancing the plunger relative to the jaws to grip'and stretch the wire, and

means acting upon .the plunger to retract said plunger and 0 en the jaws after the wire has been stretc ed. p

15. In a wire stretcher, a wire gripping jaw, a second wire gripping jaw pivotally associated with the first named jaw, a plunger slidably associated with one of said jaws and adapted to stretch the wire, and means associated with the jaws and plunger for operating the jaws to grip the wire and advance the plunger relative to the jaws to stretch the wire, and spring means engaging the plunger to retract said plunger after the stretching of the wire and release the wire gripping jaws.

16. In a wire stretcher, a wire gripping jaw, a handle rigidly attached thereto, a second wire gripping jaw pivotally mounted on the first named jaw, a handle pivotally mounted on the second named jaw, a plunger slidably associated with the second named jaw, means associated with the pivoted handle and the plunger whereby the plunger may be advanced relative to the jaws to stretch the wire when the handles are moved to operate the gripping jaws, and means associated with the plunger for retracting the plunger and releasing'the jaws from the wire.

17. In a wire stretcher, a wire gripping jaw, a second wire gripping jaw, a plunger slidably mounted within said second named jaw, a handle pivotally mounted on the second named jaw and operatively associated with said plunger to advance the plunger relative to the jaws when the handle is moved to operate the gripping. jaw, and means associated with the plunger for re tracting the plunger against theoperation of the handle and opening the jaws.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LANK HUGHES. 

